THE company behind an Aldershot shopping centre is planning to build a 90,000 sq ft supermarket to revive the town.

Threadneedle, which owns The Galleries, believes securing a major supermarket name would attract big brand stores to the town centre and provide a much-needed economic boost to Aldershot’s remaining traders.

Last week it submitted a planning application to Rushmoor Borough Council and is now in talks with several supermarket retailers.

If successful, it could be the sixth supermarket in Aldershot.

There is already a Tesco, Co-op, Iceland and Lidl and this week the council confirmed Morrisons has been proposed for the new Westgate development.

In recent weeks Threadneedle and London & Cambridge, which owns Wellington Shopping Centre, have been discussing with town centre retailers their concerns about the impact incorporating a supermarket into the Westgate development could have on traders.

Constructed on the edge of Aldershot, Morrisons would sit along Wellington Avenue, which bypasses the town centre.

Traders fear the public would visit the edge of town to do their shopping and then leave, without spending their money in any other shops.

Threadneedle believes that if a large supermarket were to be created in the heart of Aldershot, it would create an opportunity for retailers to attract customers into their shops.

Marcus Ralling, director of Threadneedle, said: “Building a supermarket in Westgate will make the town weaker. A supermarket is there to attract people to shop. It would do that but on the edge of town.”

He added: “We are not opposed to the leisure development at the Westgate site but feel a supermarket is a short-term solution that will have a detrimental effect on the Aldershot town centre.”

The original plan for Westgate proposed building 420 homes, but following the collapse of the economy and housing market, property developer Linden Homes withdrew from the scheme.

Forced to consider alternative uses for that part of the development, the council came to the conclusion that food retail represented the best way forward.

Edward Mileham, director at London & Cambridge, disagrees.

He said out-of-town retailing would decimate Aldershot and revealed that his company, together with Threadneedle, will run a campaign objecting to a supermarket being built as part of Westgate.

“The best place for a new supermarket is in the historic town centre where it can draw shoppers back and persuade new retailers to move in,” he said.

The council’s chief executive, Andrew Lloyd, is aware of Threadneedle and London & Cambridge’s opposition to the proposed Westgate supermarket but said it was wrong to stop the project because of their objections.

He said: “We believe it’s best to see the project through a planning process, which will include a retail impact study, capacity study and it will look at the very question – is this store right for the site?

“The public and businesses will be consulted and that’s where issues of concern can be expressed.”

Mr Lloyd said the council has supported Threadneedle’s efforts to bring a food store into The Galleries but no supermarket was interested.

Last Tuesday evening the council’s cabinet approved setting up Westgate Aldershot Limited, a joint venture company that will take the scheme forward.

In January the council will submit a planning application for the development, which will include Morrisons, a seven-screen cinema, eight restaurants and a 700-space car park.

Mr Lloyd said it is the final chance to deliver Westgate. If any part of the proposal fails there are no alternative options.

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